70-year-old Italian is highest number of degrees holder

In February 70 year old Luciano Baietti received a Tourism degree online. This was only his 15th degree as he still wants to add to the world record he set.

"Thanks to books, I feel free, dammit," he said.

"After all, the words share the same root," he says, referring to the Italian words libro (book) and libero (free).

The Italian started life as a sports teacher and had his first degree in physical education in 1972.

"As well as the sporting events, there were modules in theory which I liked, and which gave me a taste for studying," he said.

Since then he went on to get graduate and masters degrees in subjects including sociology, literature, law, political science, philosophy, criminology and military strategies, some of them from Rome’s prestigious La Sapienza University.

The most challenging and unusual degree so far has been military strategies. "It was co-organised by the defence ministry and Turin University and dealt with sensitive subjects related to national security."

"We had to attend the exams in uniform," he said, showing off the regimental garb hanging in his wardrobe.